Big Lightning Bugs
by Ex Nihilo ad Omnia
Summary: A San Francisco storm awakens Jade in the night, but someone is there to help her get through it.


**A/N: As I have recently finished my mid-terms for English 12, I have become a grammar freak. I went back and looked at all my stories I had written a few years ago...I nearly poked my eyes out. My errors were that bad and that obvious. Anyway, considering I did not have the documents easily available on Fanfiction anymore, I had to take almost all of my stories off the site to edit them. :P **

**So many of my stories have been reposted. Thank you to those who read and commented the first time I posted this story. You are appreciated. :)**

**Sincerely, **

**Ex Nihilo ad Omnia (formerly DaughteroftheSon)...or more simply...Ex Nihilo.**

**Hope you enjoy. **

* * *

**Big Lightning Bugs**

BAABOOM!

"Ah!" cried Jade as she bolted upright in bed. She scanned the room in agitation, but found nothing wrong. Everything was where it was supposed to be, strewn messily around her room. She rubbed her sleep-filled eyes with the back of her hand and glanced groggily over at her alarm clock. It read 1:24 A.M. Confused, Jade again looked around for anything that might have woke her up.

BAAABOOOM!

A flash of lightning, followed by a deafening crack of thunder, shook the shop to its very foundations, sending Jade scurrying under her thick comforter. She lay there for a moment, terrified. The sound of heavy rainfall filtered through her blanket, and she guessed that it was going to be raining for a long time. She lay still under her blanket, paralyzed by fear.

"Jade?" called a voice. Jade jumped and yelped involuntarily. She timidly pulled down her covers just enough for her gold-brown eyes to peer at her door. In the darkness, a hulking blob of black completely filled her doorway.

Tohru.

Jade let out a small sigh of relief as the giant man squeezed his way into her room. He walked over to her bed and crouched down next to her. Although Jade could not see his face in the dark, she knew he was gazing in her general direction with concern. She could even picture his face; brows knitted, black eyes sparkling, mouth turned down in a frown.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly, "I heard you shout." His deep voice was a comforting rumble.

"Uh…yeah," Jade replied, trying to sound casual, "storm just woke me. That's all."

She heard Tohru sigh.

"Ok, if you're all right." He said, beginning to stand. Jade impulsively reached out and grabbed some part of him she could reach. She ended up gripping his massive forearm.

"You don't have to leave," she said, hating the small tremor of fear in her voice, "If you don't want to."

Tohru paused, then he eased back down into a crouch. Jade felt inwardly relieved, but she didn't dare say so.

Lightning flashed again and the wind howled outside. Jade flinched and tightened her grip on Tohru's arm. She heard him shift and felt him move closer, almost protectively.

"It's okay to be afraid Jade." He said suddenly, quietly. Jade huffed indignantly.

"Tch, who said I was afraid?"

She could practically hear Tohru smile and it bothered her, but she didn't have time to dwell on it. Tohru stood and scooped her up into his arms, blanket and all. He cradled her gently as he walked out of her room and started down the hallway toward the attic.

They passed Jackie's room and then Uncle's room, from which a wheezing snore erupted every few seconds. Tohru's steps thudded hollowly in the night, confident. He walked up the stairs into the attic.

"Where are we going?" whispered Jade curiously. Tohru didn't answer, he just walked through the attic and stepped up to the short staircase the led out onto the roof. He sat down cross-legged and settled Jade into his lap. She looked up at him as he reached out and pushed the door open.

Jade gasped and pulled her blanket tightly around her. She was amazed at the fury of the storm outside.

Brilliant streaks of lightning forked out across the night sky. Thunder followed after the flashes of light, its booming roar carried by a blustery gale. Rain came down in torrents, soaking the roof. Luckily, the wind wasn't coming at the door, so the pair were spared from being drenched. Jade felt as if she were utterly exposed.

But then Tohru out an arm around her and drew her closer to his huge bulk. The storm suddenly lost bite as Jade laid her head back against Tohru's stomach. She smelled wet cement and the detergent of Tohru's shirt.

"When I was young," Tohru said suddenly, "I was afraid of storms too." He didn't talk very loud, but his words vibrated through his body. Jade felt his voice as much as she heard him. She looked up at him, unbelieving.

"You?" she asked. His features were briefly illuminated, enough to see the faint smile playing on his lips.

"Yep." He replied, "But one day my mother took me outside during a storm. She told me stories, about how lightning was actually giant lightning bugs," he paused in reflection, "That is one of my fondest memories."

Jade stared out into the storm for a moment, the cool breeze ruffling her hair.

"What about the thunder?" Jade asked, surprising herself with a smile. The whole conversation was rather childish, but she found she was enjoying it.

Tohru laughed quietly and ran a huge hand over her hair.

"She told me that thunder was a giant child trying to catch the lightning bugs. The thunder was the clap of the child's hands when he missed."

He clapped his own hands together for example and Jade laughed out loud. She snuggled down deeper into her covers. The pair fell silent, watching as the rain grew lighter. Jade's eyes grew heavy and she sleepily looked down at Tohru's hand that held her securely.

"You know, Big T," she said through a huge yawn, "I like your hands. They're big and tough, but they…make me…feel…safe…."

Jade's words faded away as she drifted off to sleep. Tohru smiled and looked out the door. He watched for a long time before he laid his head back against the wall, letting his heavy eyelids fall gently closed as he too fell off to sleep.


End file.
